In 2003, he became embroiled in a minor controversy. Dobson was accused of a conflict of interest when it was reported that he had provided some training for senior local authority officials in answering questions in the media, although the controversy was somewhat defused when Dobson expressed regret for what was viewed as a misjudgment.[6] He interviewed Bertie Ahern in 2006, after which Dobson said "I've never done an interview like it before and I doubt if I ever will again".[3] On January 21, 2013, an incident occurred when Dobson was interviewing the American White House press reporter Paul Brandus. At one point of the report, a man, though shadowed, appeared in front of the screen telling Brandus his time was over. The television facility was being shared and it was the next reporters turn. Dobson commented: "Well in all my years on the jobs that's never happened, well there you go!"